Research/Clinical Interests:

The goal of my research program is to identify the neural and hormonal substrates that are responsible for the interactions among diet, obesity and stress. Obesity is a major health problem affecting 30% of adults in the United States. Despite public health efforts to combat obesity, it continues to rapidly increase in incidence, along with obesity-related diseases and health costs. Similarly, stress-related psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety, affect large segments of the population and place a substantial toll on patients, families and communities. Notably, there is a high co-morbidity between obesity/metabolic disorders and stress-related psychiatric disorders, supporting the idea that there are complex interactions among stress, obesity and diet. For instance, stress generally increases the intake of palatable ‘comfort’ foods (which can promote obesity), and the ingestion of these foods improves mood and decreases emotional and behavioral responses to stress. However, the mechanisms underlying these interactions are unknown, and they constitute the focus of my research. For example, I am exploring how the consumption of ‘comfort’ foods alters the brain to confer both emotional and physiological stress relief. Also, I am determining whether a ketogenic (e.g., Atkins-like) diet affects stress-coping, and if so, how these effects are mediated. Lastly, I am exploring how stress alters the amount and type of food that individuals choose to eat. By answering these questions, we can obtain a clearer understanding of the motivation to consume different types of foods. Moreover, knowledge of the mechanisms of interaction among diet, obesity and stress may identify novel therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of obesity, as well as other stress-related disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse).

Education/Credentials:

Bachelor's Degree: Harvey Mudd College, 1994

Doctoral Degree: University of Minnesota, 2002

Post-Doctoral Fellowship: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 2007